TOP STORIES
Study: 88 million would lose private, employer-based coverage under federal plan
A new study commissioned by the Heritage Foundation examined the impact of the July 15 federal health care proposal and found that 88 million Americans would lose their private, employer-based health insurance coverage if it were enacted. Still, Senate Democrats and President Obama remain resolute in their desire to overhaul the country's health care system this year, making it imperative that citizens and employers alike make their feelings known to Congress before the end of the month. There's still time to sign on to that U.S. Chamber of Commerce letter urging Congress to reconsider the current proposals and focus on three core issues: health care costs, insurance premiums and a marketplace of insurance options. More than 200 Washington state chambers and businesses, including AWB, have signed the letter to date. To be included in the U.S. Chamber’s letter, contact AWB’s Donna Steward.


Op-ed: Health care reform must be done right
“Creating health-care reform that works is essential to our country's well-being,” according to AWB President Don Brunell and Renee Radcliff Sinclair, the U.S. Chamber’s executive director of congressional and public affairs in the Northwest Their opinion-editorial, published last Thursday in The Bellingham Herald, notes that Washington businesses provide approximately 56 percent of all health-care insurance, and the average premium for employer-sponsored health care coverage for families have risen 119 percent since 1999. Officials need to address costs by reducing waste and focusing on preventative wellness rather than impose government-run insurance, the editorial states. “Congress needs to focus on improving health care, not rushing through new experiments filled with unintended consequences which will harm patient access and drive up costs for everyone.”

U.S. manufacturing decline slows down, growth possible next month
Some good economic news: Manufacturing activity in the U.S. should grow next month for the first time since January 2008, according to the Institute for Supply Management. The increase is due to industrial companies working to restock customers' supplies. In the mean time, the U.S. Department of Commerce said construction spending rose by a seasonally adjusted annual rate 0.3 percent in June by gains in government and residential housing. Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy’s Richard Davis, however, cautions against too much optimism, noting that consumers are not buying, exports are still dropping, business investment is anemic, and job losses still outpace that slowdown in the manufacturing decline.


McDermott introduces bill to study Snake River dam removal
Last week, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, introduced a bill in Congress calling for an "independent and comprehensive" study of what would happen if the four lower Snake River dams were removed. U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco, quickly issued a statement denouncing McDermott's legislation. “Dam removal is an extreme action that would have devastating consequences on our region’s economy," Hastings said. "These four dams are valuable components of the Northwest’s clean, low-cost hydropower system that thousands and thousands of jobs rely upon. Dam removal would kill jobs, lead to huge increases in greenhouse gas emissions, and there’s no scientific proof that it would actually guarantee salmon recovery.” Three former Northwest governors — Mike Lowry (Wash.), John Kitzhaber (Ore.) and Cecil Andrus (Idaho) — are also urging the Obama administration to junk a Bush-era plan to save the region's salmon that allows hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers to continue operating. Read more on AWB’s blog, Olympia Business Watch.


Coming next month: AWB’s 2009 Regional Meetings
Next month, AWB will begin its 2009 Regional Meetings. Members and prospective members are invited to attend these free events. At each meeting, area legislators will lead an informal discussion of policy issues. AWB Government Affairs staff will then provide an overview of the 2010 legislative objectives. This is your chance to share your thoughts, ideas and suggestions directly with AWB. Your input will help our board of directors establish its legislative priorities at the 20th Annual AWB Policy Summit. The meetings will be held Tuesday, Sept. 1 (Vancouver); Wednesday, Sept. 2 (Tri-Cities and Moses Lake); Thursday, Sept. 3 (Spokane and Yakima); Wednesday, Sept. 9 (Tacoma and Bellingham); and Thursday, Sept. 10 (Mountlake Terrace and Bellevue). Click here for details on the meeting locations. To register for a meeting in your district, contact AWB’s Bonnie Millikan.


KEY HEARINGS, MEETINGS
Land Use Committee meets on Aug. 11
AWB’s Land Use Committee will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1 – 3 p.m. at the law offices of Foster Pepper, PLLC to discuss AWB’s land use legislative objectives for 2010. For more information, contact AWB’s Chris McCabe.


Tax and Fiscal Policy Council will review draft emergency rules on new reseller permit, Aug. 12
AWB is a part of a stakeholder advisory group providing comments to the Department of Revenue regarding implementation of the new reseller’s permit. The department will begin notifying employers next month about the new permit, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2010. Employers will either be automatically issued a permit based on specified criteria or given directions on how to file an application for the permit.

The department is also currently seeking input on two draft emergency rules regarding the permit requirement. The agency intends to file the emergency rules with a proposed effective date of Tuesday, Sept. 1.AWB needs your comments as early as possible for review at the Tax and Fiscal Policy Council meeting at AWB on Wednesday, Aug, 12 from 9:30 a.m. – noon. Comments are due to the department by Aug. 13. E-mail AWB’s Amber Carter for copies of the draft rules. AWB appreciates the input of its members on this issue; your feedback is extremely valuable and has made the proposed final permit and application more usable for employers everywhere.


Save the Date: AWB Human Resource Council to meet Aug. 13
AWB’s Human Resource Council will hold its first 2009 meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13, 1:30 - ­­­3:30 p.m. at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront. The agenda will include important state and federal updates affecting HR as well as a report and planning for the 2010 legislative session. For more information, contact AWB’s Kris Tefft.


OTHER NEWS
Dept. of Commerce to hold public hearings on GMA Administrative Guidelines Update
The Department of Commerce is holding a series of public meetings on changes on its rules for providing local governments with guidance on Growth Management Act compliance and implementation. The meetings will be in Moses Lake (Wednesday, Sept. 30. 2009, 9 – 10:30 a.m., Big Bend Community College, ATEC Building); Olympia (Thursday, Oct. 1, 9 – 10:30 a.m., General Administration Building, Auditorium); and Everett (Friday, Oct. 2, 9 – 10:30 a.m., Everett Community College, Whitehorse Hall). E-mail your comments or mail them to Washington State Department of Commerce, Growth Management Services, Attn: WAC Update, 906 Columbia St. SW, Olympia, WA 98504-2525. Click here for more information, and to view the proposed changes. The Department of Commercewill accept comments on the proposed rule through Friday, Oct. 2.


Department of Commerce wants business community’s feedback on its key functions
Washington’s new Department of Commerce needs your input before it sends a report to Gov. Gregoire and the Legislature, including recommendations about the key functions that best fit the department’s mission and vision, by Nov. 1. Go here to take the department’s survey. If you have additional comments or ideas beyond the survey questions, send them to connect@commerce.wa.gov.


Don’t miss AWB’s new Member Spotlight: Longview Fibre
The recent naming of Longview Fibre as a finalist in the competition for a prestigious Pulp and Paper International Award is the focus of AWB’s Member Spotlight. We’ve also recently published stories on Insitu, Inc., Apex Karting, Westshare Services and Pendleton Woolen Mills. If you have a good news story about your company, send it to AWB’s Paul Schlienz.


Hear AWB President Don Brunell every Thursday on KKOL-AM 1300
Make sure you’re tuned to Seattle’s KKOL-AM 1300 every Thursday morning at about 7:20 a.m. when AWB President Don Brunell discusses the business news of the day on Sound Business with Mike Siegel. (You can also listen online!)


Use Twitter to gear up for the 20^th Annual AWB Policy Summit
AWB has launched a new Twitter account dedicated to the Sept. 22-24 Policy Summit at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum. Follow www.twitter.com/AWBsummit before and during the summit to find out information and share your ideas. You can also join the regular discussion of business and politics by following AWB’s main Twitter account, and become a fan of AWB on Facebook!


AWB EVENTS & RESOURCES
Successfully Navigating Leaves of Absence Laws Webinar — Aug. 19
A widening gap between state and federal leave requirements has further complicated the already cumbersome legal requirements for employers. This 90-minute Webinar, on Wednesday, Aug. 19, will benefit small businesses owners, HR professionals and managers of all kinds by providing a look at the latest developments in state and federal leave laws as well as potential strategies for dealing with them effectively. For additional information or to register, click here or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


AWB’s 20^th Annual Policy Summit Sept. 22-24 at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum
The 2009 AWB Policy Summit is designed to help reduce the uncertainty of today’s tumultuous economic times. We've assembled a team of national and local experts to chart a course through the turbulence, including pollster John Zogby and former presidential adviser David Gergen. Also, don’t miss keynote speaker Harrison Schmitt. The former Apollo astronaut was one of the last men to walk on the moon and will discuss the future of America’s space program as our featured speaker the evening of Sept. 22. To register, contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


OSHA 10-hour certification course in DuPont Oct. 15-16
Get current on the latest in safety training and OSHA standards. Classes will be held both days from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the State Farm Education Center in DuPont. At completion of the course, you will receive an official course completion card from the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA. This card will be useful during an inspection, as it demonstrates your efforts and commitment to voluntary compliance with all OSHA standards and regulations! Register online or contact AWB’s Jennifer Costello.


THEY SAID IT
“As I approach the current health care debate, I believe the most appropriate solutions should focus on preserving the doctor-patient relationship and making health insurance more affordable for individuals, small businesses and their employees.” - U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane.


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